San Francisco police investigate anti-Israeli graffiti on Market Street storefront as a hate crime
SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco Mayor London Breed confirmed Monday that graffiti threatening violence against Israel painted along Market Street over the weekend was being investigated as a hate crime.
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The San Francisco branch of the Jewish Community Relations Council posted on social media about the graffiti Sunday afternoon, noting that they were "deeply disturbed" by the vandalism that took place on windows of at least two storefronts on Market Street after a pro-Palestine protest happened near the San Francisco waterfront Saturday afternoon. The post also said that the SFJCRC had "been in touch with city leaders" and the San Francisco police to investigate.
On Monday morning, Mayor Breed posted about the graffiti on the same platform. While she said she supports peaceful protests, she added that "on Saturday protestors vandalized buildings with disgusting calls to violence." She also posted before and after photos of where the graffiti had been painted on the windows at a Bank of America branch on Market Street.
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She confirmed that San Francisco police were investigating the vandalism and thanked the San Francisco Public Works Department for quickly cleaning the graffiti that was spray painted on the windows. The post said the graffiti was removed overnight.
"Racism, anti-Semitism, and attacks against any people have no place in our City or anywhere. Zero. I won't accept it, and you will be held accountable if you make any threats of violence," the mayor said in a subsequent comment on the post.
So far, San Francisco police have not offered any comment on the investigation or confirmed whether they suspected that the vandals were protestors who participated in Saturday afternoon's pro-Palestine demonstration.
